A netizen, referred to as A, who first raised suspicions about the relationship between comedian and broadcaster Jo Se-ho and organized crime, has released a long post along with a blurred photo, stating his position on the expanding controversy.
On the 10th, A posted on his personal account, "Recently, there has been a lot of interest and controversy due to the information I have disclosed," and shared a photo. The released photo is blurred, making it difficult to identify accurately, but it attracted attention as it appears to show a person presumed to be Jo Se-ho.
A stated that he would humbly accept both support and criticism, but insisted, "The purpose I wanted to reveal has always been singular. It is to inform and correct the issue of illegal gambling and the damage it causes." He further emphasized, "I have raised issues based on the facts confirmed during that process."
Regarding the allegations of monetary demands, A clearly denied, "I have never made any monetary demands to anyone, nor have I ever been involved in any monetary proposals or quid pro quo actions, not even once."
Previously, Jo Se-ho had announced legal action, stating, "I plan to correct any untrue parts through necessary procedures for the family that needs to take responsibility," to which A responded, "I will not avoid any legal actions, and I will clarify any claims that are not factual through legal procedures." He also stated, "Even if I have to face disadvantages or concerns for my personal safety during this process, I will respond until the truth is corrected."
A explained, "I did not act to defame or attack any specific individual. However, if there is a problem, it should be verified and revealed based on the principle that it must be addressed." He added, "I will not make unnecessary additional disclosures or comments about Jo Se-ho in the future. However, if there are repeated claims that differ from the issues I raised or if only unilateral legal responses are mentioned, I will respond based on verifiable facts at any time."
Meanwhile, Jo Se-ho has recently been embroiled in allegations of connections with organized crime and controversies over receiving money for business promotion, leading to his voluntary departure from tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' and KBS 2TV's '2 Days & 1 Night.' On the 9th, Jo Se-ho stated in a position paper, "I should have been more cautious about my relationships with those around me, and I feel that I could not maturely handle all those connections with a younger mindset than I have now," while denying, "I want to state that the allegations raised due to those connections are not true at all."
